Foxes start with a bang in Europe

Leicester began their maiden adventure in the Champions League with style as they ran out convincing 3-0 victors over Club Brugge in their Group G opener on Wednesday night.

Club Brugge 0 Leicester City 3

Albrighton gives visitors early lead

Foxes go two-up through Mahrez

Algerian grabs his second from the spot

Comfortable win for English champions

Match Summary

The Foxes took just five minutes to stamp their authority on the game at the Jan Breydel Stadium as Marc Albrighton opened the scoring to record their first-ever goal in Europe's elite club competition.

Riyad Mahrez put them in the driving seat just before the half-hour mark with his well-executed free-kick and the Algerian winger added his second and his team's third goal from the penalty spot early in the second half to cap off a fine debut from Claudio Ranieri's men.

It was a dream start for Leicester but things could have been very different had Jose Izquierdo taken his chance after just two minutes. The forward was played in by Abdoulay Diaby but his finish was disappointing.

The English champions responded almost immediately to that early scare as Albrighton capitalised on a failed clearance from Luis Hernandez's long throw-in to net the historic opener from six yards out.

The early goal allowed the visitors to settle down and Mahrez started to influence the game more and more; he doubled their advantage from a free-kick on 29 minutes after Jamie Vardy had been brought down by Timmy Simons 20 yards out when the Brugge skipper lost possession.

The hosts were struggling to cope as Mahrez went close with a curling effort before Danny Drinkwater twice drew saves out of Ludovic Butelle, while Vardy tested the keeper from a narrow angle in the closing stages of the first half.

Another defensive slip by the Belgian outfit gifted the Foxes a third goal 16 minutes into the second half. Vardy forced Stefano Denswil to concede possession and stole the ball to race through on goal before being fouled by Butelle for a penalty.